Donald Trump has won the presidential election, crossing the 270 victory line of electoral college votes. This means that not only will he return to the White House, but so will his wife, Melania Trump.
The future first lady is an enigma, having mostly kept out of the spotlight during her husband's re-election campaign. She has rarely been spotted at rallies over the past few months, although she made an appearance at his victory declaration at West Palm Beach, Florida.
While she may not have been as involved in his re-election campaign as she was the first time round, Melania did make a bold choice when she published her self-titled memoir on October 8, 2024.
© JIM WATSONMelania's memoir may not give all the intimate details about her marriage to the president-elect, but she certainly makes some bombshell admissions that might change how people see her.
Here are the five biggest bombshells from Melania.
Her different politics to her husband
© Getty ImagesDonald's pro-life policy promises have polarized the nation, with many of his male voters supporting him, while a number of women across the country have expressed their fears about what this might mean for their reproductive rights.
Melania took the opportunity in her memoir to distance herself from her husband's ideology by making it clear that she is, in fact, pro-choice — and she always has been.
"It is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their preference of having children, based on their own convictions, free from any intervention or pressure from the government," she wrote. "I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life."
Don't call her a gold digger
© PoolMelania hit back at public statements that she is a "gold digger," calling them "baseless accusations." She explained that despite the 24-year age gap, the couple share a "love for Elvis Presley and Elton John" and a tender relationship.
She added that she could have "easily captured the attention of numerous celebrities" if that were her aim, and that she had made a bulk of her own wealth through modeling, skincare, and jewelry businesses.
Her connections with King Charles
© CHRIS JACKSONIt turns out that in her time as first lady, Melania developed a strong bond with then-prince Charles, which led to them becoming pen pals.
She revealed they bonded in 2019 at a state banquet where she sat next to him, describing it as "an absolute pleasure to reconnect with him.".
"Our paths had crossed many years ago in New York City. This time we engaged in an interesting conversation about his deep-rooted commitment to environmental conservation," she said.
Barron was bullied
© InstagramReflecting on accusations by Rosie O'Donnell in 2016 that Barron was autistic, Melania slammed the bullying her son faced as a result, citing "irreparable damage" to the teenager.
"Barron’s experience of being bullied both online and in real life following the incident is a clear indication of the irreparable damage caused," Melania wrote.
"There is nothing shameful about autism (though O'Donnell’s tweet implied that there was), but Barron is not autistic," she said.
"It was clear to me that she was not interested in raising awareness about autism. I felt that she was attacking my son because she didn't like my husband."
Her clashes with Trump's children
© NICHOLAS KAMMThrough her husband, Melania is stepmother to Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany. While their relationship is "grounded in love and respect," she does not "agree with every opinion or choice" they make — just as she doesn't with her husband.
Diplomatically, she revealed that they may "share the same last name," but they couldn't be more different, as she reflected on their separate "paths."
